Teacher Appreciation Week starts on May 4 in 2026, but there’s no need to confine your teacher appreciation gifts to just one week! We’ve rounded up some terrific items that teachers will really enjoy, from cute but practical to downright decadent and delicious. Plus, we surveyed 120 teachers from across the country to find out what they really want, and we’re sharing their tips and ideas with you here.
Cheryl M., a senior English teacher from New York, wants you to know one important thing: “Teachers are easy to please. Any gift matters to us. We love cards and pictures! It doesn’t have to be expensive!” With that in mind, here are some of the top gifts teachers say have made them feel appreciated throughout their careers.
Below you’ll find the three most clicked and purchased gifts on our list. These are the go‑to picks readers trust when they want something teachers truly love.
We Are Teachers
1. Gift Cards
One of the most popular teacher appreciation gifts is also one of the easiest: gift cards! Teachers love getting to choose what they really want for themselves. We surveyed more than 350 teachers to find out their most-wanted gift cards. Here are their top five choices; see the full list of teacher gift card picks here.
Some people worry that gift cards don’t feel “personal” enough. If that’s the case, you can always add a creative or personalized gift card holder. Make it even more special by adding a personalized note tucked inside.
Our free printable gift card holders are themed to match your cards! There are options for Amazon, Target, Starbucks, and any other gift card you choose.
2. Personal Laminator: Every Teacher’s Classroom Dream Gift
Amazon
Teachers love to laminate! But they also hate waiting to use the shared laminator in the teacher workroom (plus, why the heck is it always broken?). Make their lives easier with a small personal laminator they can keep in their classroom and use anytime they like! Find our list of the 15 best laminators here, including our number-one pick:
Tip: Does your teacher already have a personal laminator? Buy them some refill pouches instead!
3. Bento Box: Teacher Appreciation Gift They’ll Use Every Day
Amazon
Bento boxes are all the rage, and our readers can’t stop buying them. They’re perfect for packing healthy and delicious teacher lunches. Personalize yours by adding their name with permanent vinyl lettering, and fill it with delicious snacks and candy for a practical, delicious gift they’ll love.
Best Group Gift for Teachers: Keurig K-Express Coffeemaker
Amazon
Most teachers run on coffee! But they don’t have time to be running to the breakroom for their caffeine fix all day long, so they’ll love having their own personal coffeemaker in the classroom. This one is small enough to fit anywhere, and it makes a great gift from a group. Collect a few dollars from everyone who wants to donate, and you might even wind up with enough to include some of your teacher’s favorite coffee pods too!
Best Low-Cost or No-Cost Teacher Appreciation Gift: Thank-You Notes
When it comes right down to it, what teachers really want is to know all their hard work truly is making a difference. The best way to show that is to write them a thank-you note. Whether from a parent, child, administrator, or coworker, a heartfelt letter detailing all the things that make them unique is really one of the best gifts a teacher can get.
“Besides gift cards, one of the teacher gifts that made me feel most appreciated was handwritten thank-you notes or cards from students,” shares a math teacher from Texas. “The heartfelt words written by students convey deep appreciation and warmth, which makes me feel truly valued and encouraged.”
While a note is wonderful, you can make your note even more special using one of these ideas.
Help kids make a keepsake that teachers will treasure. Each page of this book offers prompts to inspire students to write their favorite memories and thoughtful words any teacher will love to hear.
10 Terrific Teacher Appreciation Gifts Under $10 Each
A few bucks really can buy something teachers will love! For the biggest impact, choose a fun version of something they’re likely to use every day, like pens, notepads, or other office supplies. Here are 10 quick picks for teachers, all available on Amazon.
Amazon
Animal Sticky Notes
This set of sticky notes (yes, you get all of them!) is perfect for one teacher, or divide them up for a whole teacher team!
These incredibly inexpensive (but well reviewed) pens write in four colors and even have a clip at the end so busy teachers can keep one on their lanyard!
These adhesive boards attach to the side of a computer monitor, so teachers can add sticky notes to them without blocking what’s on their screen. Simple and so smart!
Treats: Teacher Appreciation Gifts To Eat or Drink
One of the best things about food and drink gifts is that teachers don’t need to find a place to display or store them … they can just enjoy them! Just be aware of any potential allergies or food preferences (not everyone drinks alcohol, for instance). Remember that candy and baked goods aren’t your only options: Math teacher Emily Wilde’s favorite teacher gift of all time was “homemade bread and fresh eggs from a family’s chickens”!
Pro tip: Ask your child what their teacher’s favorite snacks or beverages are. They probably already know!
Adrienne Hathaway for We Are Teachers
Deliver lunch or coffee with a side of inspiration
Bring teachers lunch or a delicious pick-me-up drink on Teacher Appreciation Day. Just be sure to ask their preferences and take orders in advance, so you an accommodate food allergies, special diets, and other restrictions.
You usually can’t go wrong with chocolate. But if you really want to make them feel special, splurge on a gourmet option like Godiva. “Quality over quantity!” advises one Utah English teacher.
Nothing says celebration like scrumptious cupcakes! You can bake them yourself, of course, but if you don’t have the time, try this selection of vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles!
Here’s another yummy snack option: tender scones. This assortment of scones includes apple cranberry, blueberry, cinnamon chip, classic currant, cranberry, and dark chocolate chunk.
This is an affordable but highly appreciated gift. Pair a case of their favorite potable with a thank-you note and your child’s teacher will treasure you forever. Not sure what their favorite beverage is? Ask your child what drink they see on their teacher’s desk after lunch … they’ll know.
One teacher says, “I know I’m not the only teacher who feels better having a stash of snacks in their cupboard. I like to know that I’ve got something there to offer a hungry student or grab if I forget my lunch.” Snacks will never not be appreciated, and this box offers an excellent variety.
California 5th grade teacher Nancy Cowan was once wowed by a gift of custom-decorated sugar cookies. Another great option is a box of Cheryl’s Cookies, beautifully presented in a Thank You box.
These teacher appreciation gifts help preserve the memories of a particular year, class, event, or student. Educators can display these in their classrooms for years to come!
Amazon
Collaborative Video or Album
Elementary language arts teacher Kristi B. never felt more appreciated than when she received a video of each of her students sharing a special message just for her. A collaborative video or digital album is one of the sweetest, most personal teacher gifts you can give. Make it really special by presenting it in a video book that auto-plays when you open it!
Give teachers a place to record the hilarious, touching, and inspirational stuff that comes out of the mouths of their students. It’s something they’ll love looking back on again and again.
Most teachers love fun office supplies, and they go through things like pens, pencils, and sticky notes like they’re water. They also appreciate items that can help them stay organized or communicate while showing off their teacher personality.
Etsy
Personalized Whiteboard Set
Chalkboards are a thing of the past now, and whiteboards are where it’s at! This personalized whiteboard eraser packaged with a few new markers makes a really cool gift for any teacher.
Part of a teacher’s job (and one many of them absolutely love!) includes organization. Label makers will definitely upgrade their organization systems. Think of the endless possibilities!
Help teachers keep those always-useful sticky notes close at hand with these adorable little personalized holders. Don’t forget to include a multipack of colorful notepads!
Teachers love stamps! Choose a new one for their supply, or go all out and buy them a personalized stamp like no one else’s. (Bonus idea: Add a rainbow stamp pad to make their stamps even cooler.)
We can’t even begin to count how many pencils teachers go through in a school year. Help them hang on to at least a few of them with a personalized pack that’s all their own.
Even in this email age we’re living in, teachers still pen a lot of handwritten notes, so give them customized stationery that fits their personality. Montessori teacher Donna Paul remembers one particularly thoughtful gift: “I love cats and I also use sticky notes a lot so the best gift I ever received was a personalized sticky notepad with a cat on it!”
Practical and fun, this smart stand adjusts to hold phones or tablets upright so teachers can easily go hands-free. It comes in tons of hues too, so you can get one in your school colors or your teacher’s favorite shade.
These are perfect for your child’s favorite reading or language arts teacher. You can choose from a few different wording options, but this one’s our favorite.
Real teacher story: “A group of students gifted me a notebook this year. It meant so much to me that I wanted to use it for something special. I decided to write down funny moments that happen throughout the years and give it to them for a graduation gift.” This one is adorable, can be personalized, and is less than $15.
Classroom libraries tend to include a lot of books teachers paid for with their own money. Help them ensure those books always come back home again with personalized bookplate stickers.
Give them a way to show off their teacher style with these wearable gifts. (If you’re worried about getting sizes right, opt for something like socks or jewelry rather than a T-shirt.)
Amazon
Fun Socks
Wearable gifts can be a little tricky, but socks are pretty much one-size-fits-all. There are lots of fun novelty options out there that are great for teacher appreciation gifts. Pre-K teacher Christina H. once received custom socks with pictures of her and her students’ faces on them!
Does your favorite teacher love to sport ponytails? Then these cute school-themed hair ties will make fabulous teacher appreciation gifts! They come in sets of three in a wide variety of patterns.
Lots of teachers wear lanyards to hold their school IDs, keys, and all the other paraphernalia they need quick access to throughout the day. This is one of the best gifts for teachers because you can get a lanyard to match their personality. We’ve got a whole selection to choose from for teachers of any subject here.
These adorable statement earrings are perfect to dress up any outfit, even on jeans day! When it’s a messy-bun day, your child’s teacher will feel more put together with these fun earrings.
For the teachers you know and love that have an impressive collection of quirky ties, buy them a new one to add to their collection. (Find more fun teacher ties here.)
If you’ve got a garden, put together your own bouquet. Otherwise, brighten a teacher’s day with a beautiful flower delivery! Have them delivered directly to the school to make them feel incredibly special.
Want something that will last longer than cut flowers? Lovepop’s thank-you cards are all terrific, and their pop-up paper bouquets will last long after Teacher Appreciation Week is over. These are keepsakes they can display for ages.
Give them an easy-care succulent in a personalized planter for a thoughtful gift that lasts. You can pick up a succulent at the grocery store or local nursery to pop into this cute little pot.
Give a lit-loving teacher plenty of audiobooks to enjoy during their much-deserved downtime. Audible gift memberships are available from one month to a year, so there are options for all price ranges.
While there’s no set amount, most people spend about $10 to $25 on a teacher appreciation gift. If you’d like to spring for something that costs more, consider taking up a collection from people who’d like to go in on a group gift. However, even something as small as a $5 Starbucks gift card is always appreciated.
What kinds of gifts do most teachers want?
Teachers like practical gifts, especially those with a personal touch. A gift card to their favorite bookstore, personalized desk supplies, or new pens or markers in their favorite colors are all great choices. And many teachers say what they like best is simply a handwritten note of appreciation!
Is it better to give a personal teacher gift or something for the classroom?
Both can be great options! The nice thing about gift cards to places like Amazon or Target is that they can be used for both personal and classroom items. If you know your teacher well, you can get something they can use for their favorite hobbies at home. If not, try office supplies like personalized note cards, unique sticky notes, or quality pens.
Are there any teacher gifts to avoid?
There are a few things teachers tend to get over and over again, like candles, hand lotion, and coffee mugs. These aren’t necessarily bad choices, but there are often better options. It’s also important to remember that gifts like wine or sweet treats aren’t always appropriate; teachers may not drink alcohol or be able to eat sugar. If you’re not sure, err on the side of caution and avoid these types of gifts.
Be sure to grab your free printable teacher gift tags!
We Are Teachers
Add these tags to any teacher gift to make it a little more special! Get a full printable set that’s perfect to use for every occasion. Just click the button below and fill out the form to get yours.
